Coroner records open verdict on UK diver's cause of death

LONDON - The cause of death of a British diver whose body was fished from the Persian Gulf last year is inconclusive, says a coroner.

Barrie Williams said yesterday that the burden of proof forced him to record an open verdict on the death of Robert Glazzard, aged 28, of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, who died together with Kiwi colleague Aaron Hopa.

It was possible Mr Glazzard had been unlawfully killed, but Mr Williams said there were reservations that made it impossible for him to satisfy the high burden of proof needed to confirm formally that it was murder.

"If it was the balance of probability I would confirm such a verdict.

"As it is, I must return an open verdict."

He told the inquest at Bury Magistrates Court near Manchester that the "twilight world of drugs" was a possible motive for the death of the professional diver.

Mr Glazzard and Mr Hopa, 29, of Timaru, both vanished off the survey ship Seabulk Hercules in January 1999 as it returned to port in Dubai.

They had been working a remote-controlled camera on the ship, which was investigating the wreck of a Russian cargo vessel in Iranian waters.

Both men had similar fractures to their larynx when their bodies were recovered from the sea more than a week after their disappearance, the inquest heard.

Pathologist William Lawler said they could have been killed by a karate chop to the throat or a blunt instrument.

The inquest heard that Mr Glazzard had been involved in drug smuggling from Malaysia to Singapore and was a drug user.

Mr Williams said: "The question of drugs being linked to Mr Glazzard's death cannot be ignored.

"The twilight world of drugs often throws up motivation for violent criminal behaviour against anyone involved in drugs and drug misuse."

Aaron's parents, Jim and Barbara Hopa, attended the inquest to see if they could learn more about their son's death and to provide support for Mr Glazzard's family.

Mr Hopa said they would continue to support the Glazzards because he was appalled at the lack of support the family, as victims of a tragic event, had received.

"It's shockingly difficult for them to deal with. We are going through the same process and we still have more to come in our own case," he said.

"We are talking about two fine, fit athletic sporting men and somehow they have been painted to be, particularly Robert, involved in drugs and heroin.

Mr Hopa said it was not easy for the pathologist to say conclusively how Mr Glazzard died.

"The difficulty he had was in the receipt of Robert's body and the stages of its condition made it very difficult. In the light of what we have heard, we have got to accept that the conclusion he drew was only the best [from what] he could examine."

Detective Superintendent Roy Rainford, of Greater Manchester, said the file would remain open on the death of Mr Glazzard and detectives would continue to liaise with the Dubai authorities and colleagues in New Zealand.

- NZPA